C2 Session 28: Tephu's Great Library and Outer Sanctum Report

General Summary

21st of Diesmir 1545

 Jamal and Margaret head to the Upper Stacks today. They need go up the stairs on either side of the Great Chamber of knowledge. Once up there they see more clearly the vaulted dome of the library rises like the heavens above the floor of the main chamber. A broad balcony circles the base of the dome, lined with shelves and piles of books that loom like cliffs on the brink of collapse. A jumbling array of ladders climb to these teetering shelves, propped against the stacks, hung from ledges, dangling from wires overhanging the library far below, or fashioned from spikes hammered into the walls.

Though Jamal and Margaret are so focused on trying to navigate the ladders and ledges that they don't make much progress today. Neither does Ana, Brin or Durn. However, Kael does make some progress:

• Kael learns about how the Shadow World perfectly mimics the Light World of Cerilia from the moment it was first made. However, progress can be slow to appear on the other side. For instance a new building will not immediately appear in the Shadow World until it has started to have emotional bleed across the veil. The more strength in the emotion, the faster the bleed. Negative emotions work best but positives have been known to catch now and again. It warns strongly against going to places of massacres.

Kael is able to move on to the Processional of Learning to be with Durn, Ana and Brin there. 

22nd of Diesmir 1545

No progress is made by those in the Processional of Learning do not make any progress today, Jamal and Margaret do in the Upper Stacks:

• Jamal learns that an obscure index compiled by a previous curator of the library lists the scroll referencing Hakotep as one of many that were copied from the personal library of the Sky Pharaoh.  This collection of scrolls is held in a part of the Great Library's Inner Sanctum called the Spiral Archive, described as a chamber resembling a vertical scroll tube crossed by a latticework of papyrus bridges.
• Margaret finds lore connecting Elves long lives with their original god of creation. There is also a theory on why many elves don't follow the gods on this plane since a very few are rumoured to be even older than the current (old) gods and their original creator has never been present.

Jamal enquires with the front desk about the Spiral Archive. They need permission from the Haty-a, a high priestess or governess, in order to access this archive. She's in the Sanctuary of Vorynn, across from the library in the other large building. The party heads over there to see if they can get permission to access this Archive. 

The temple is a magnificent marble and sandstone building, one of the largest that the party has seen in the city so far. As you approach, you find that it is painted and carved with depictions of life and miracles with many eyes looking down upon them. The front doors are open, and while to one side of the room there are definitely pews for prayer, the other side looks to be an admin space with a few people working.

Margaret approaches the administrative area quietly and speaks to a veiled priestess, putting in a request to see the Haty-a to get permission for the Archive. They're asked what specific things they're looking to research, which are; the Sky Pharaoh, Cults and groups seeking masks. They're warned that unless they are historical figures these might be hard to find as they tend to have no one writing about them and passing such books or scrolls onto the library. The modern texts can also be difficult to find in general. They're told to check in at lunch time tomorrow to see how their request is progressing. 

Upon leaving Ana, Brin and Durn want to go and explore the possible nightlife of Tephu a little more while Kael, Jamal and Margaret turn in for an early night at the hostel. 

Ana and Brin head East to start with towards the river into the New City District. As they head East they find this district is definitely a market district. It's busy, even at this hour, but it does look like businesses will be wrapping up business soon. There are lots of festive decorations up and stalls being set up in preparation for something. Ana is looking for magical things while Brin looks for those actively trading. 

A number of stalls look like they're trading. There are a few stalls with magical items, but they're heavily guarded. Though not stopping people from looking. Ana and Brin stay within sight of one another as they investigate further. Ana finds a very pretty lantern that glows between gold and violet. It's labelled as a Lantern of Shifting Light. She also finds a small bead for sale. Called the Bead of Rain. If dropped, it will cause a 5 ft rain cloud for 1 minute.

While Brin's store seems to be general goods where he observes woven blankets being traded for a large bag of rice. He's trying to wait for a lull in business, but the lull is when they start to pack up. Even those setting up the festive stuff are finishing up for the day. Seeing that they won't get much here they ask around about local inns. There are only two inns in the city. One in the Outer city called "Caravan's End" and another in Wadjet's Walk called "Inn of the Desert Winds". 

Margaret gets a local dinner, chatting with Kael and Jamal before taking the time to check on Azari's constellation from the library courtyard before heading to her room.

Through asking around you find your way to the Inn of the Desert Winds. the Tavern is very spacious and full of people. There is a live band and the kitchen billows mouth-watering scents throughout the building, carrying the aroma of roasted waterfowl, roasted vegetables, grilled fish, baking bread, and bean or barley stew with sliced eggs. A permanent breeze seems to flow through the space. 

Ana, Durn and Brin quickly grab a table. They get a round of drinks and discuss a little of what they've seen so far of Tephu. Brin is looking around for any interesting patrons and clocks one figure going over the menu with the barkeep. A very lively gentleman named Jay. Brin goes over to chat with him and learns:

• Thabat owns the Desert Winds.
• Jay runs a caravan route that was having trouble due to the destroyed arch/portal. This was impacting needed supplies runs for the city with what it can't produce itself.

Jay is invited over to join them for dinner.

Evening Meals

Item-Description-Price Dune Lion Roast - Hearty spiced meat roasted on the open hearth, served with roasted roots and date wine glaze. 2 sp 

The Wind’s Feast - Shared platter of roasted fowl, wild rice, and herb sauces — feeds 3–4. 6 sp 

Oasis Curry - Coconut-milk stew with chickpeas and apricots. Mild but rich. 1 sp 

Jackal’s Bite Stew - Spicy mutton stew. 9 cp 

Veiled Lady’s Dish- Layers of sweetened flatbread, honey, and rose-petal cream — a decadent dessert. 5 cp

While waiting on dinner, Jay talks with the party. They learn:

• The festival that was being set up is celebrating the creation of the Shadow World and the safe harbour of the city. They have a powerful dignitary that is meant to be sailing in via the river, but knowing her she'll be fashionably late. The festival can't end without her say so.
• The festival is also described as celebrating the birth of this strange side of Cerilia and the day Tephu moved here. The five days are great for general festival fun. After that there is still big events but all on the whims of the special guest. It'll end only by her decree.
• The special guest is Muminofrah. Speaker of some powerful someone who never visits the city but helps power the shield that keeps us safe.
• They have farms attached to the city to the North that supplies much of the city's food needs. However Jay likes to make sure that his market has a lot of things in back stock for incidents like a portal no longer functioning. Though he's happy to learn the portal is back in action.
• Jay knows of other portals but they are further away to the North and South which adds danger to the route. The portal the group used was the safest one.

Jay offers to meet them at their hostel in the morning, though he's most disappointed to hear that is where they're staying, in order to act as guide during the festival. They say goodbye and head back to the hostel, arriving at 8:30pm. They head to their own rooms.

At 8:30pm Ana enters the room and dramatically collapses into bed. This concerns Margaret, so she checks in on her friend. Ana tells them all about their night out and what she learned about the festival and their plans for tomorrow. Margaret tells Ana about Azari's constellation and how strange it is that it's here in the shadow world, and how bright it is tonight of all nights. After their chats, they head to bed and dream land. 

As Margaret dreams, she finds herself in a familiar large bedroom from Azari's home. Looking around, Margaret sees the desk she left her note on last time has an envelope on it and a key sitting on the envelope. She goes over to the desk to pick up the envelope, seeing her name on it, she opens and reads it. 

Dearest Margaret,

I must apologise. The last time we parted and I was not myself. It has taken me some time to recover. I offer you the key to this room to use as you see fit as your own personal space and to ensure you never are forced to stay within it against your will.
I would like to invite you to dine with me tonight.
The library is open to you if you would prefer.
Regardless of your choice, your shadow will be able to show you the way.

-A

Margaret takes the key and tests it on the door, unlocking it before asking her shadow to take her to the meal. The shadow dances around her and skips ahead down the hall. Margaret is led to a large dining hall lit with candles that have a dark aura to them. There are two places set in the centre facing on another. Aside from Margaret and her shadow, the place is empty. She heads over to take one of the seats. A shadow appeared behind Margaret to push her chair in for her. Six others appear each holding a different bottle of wine to show Margaret. She selects a semi sweet white wine and they pour her a glass as a door behind her can be heard opening which causes the shadows to make themselves scarce. 

Azari expresses his surprise that she actually came. Margaret expresses interest in the mystery this entity presents and the pair talk through the night, eating and enjoying wine. Margaret learns he did not want to be alone on the night much of the world was celebrating his death and exile. His sword, which was a constellation that he would summon his weapon from was sundered in the battle the festival celebrates on Desmir. 

Margaret stayed with Azari throughout the night at his request. 

23rd of Diesmir 1545

Everyone gets up to ready themselves for a fun day at the festival, though Margaret does take a moment to identify the key she woke up still holding. Brin does some stretches while Ana makes a quick food run. 

The Key of Invitation (Subtle Enchantment & Shadow Access) 

Description: A smooth black key with veins of crimson light that pulse faintly in her hand. When used, the key leaves behind a faint scent of myrrh and ash. Properties:

Shadow Gate: When turned in any lock or doorframe, it opens a doorway to Azari’s Manor, a shifting demiplane that exists partly in the Shadow World.

Selective Access: The doorway only appears for those invited by name by Margaret or Azari.

Azari’s Presence: When she is reduced to 0 HP while the key is in her possession, she can instead drop to 1 HP and appear wreathed in black lightning — Azari’s divine shield — once per long rest.

Kael and Durn head to the library to continue their research. Outside the hostel, Jay is waiting to go and introduces himself to Margaret. They talk a little as Jay leads them to the main stretch with games, food and fun to be had. They see it decorated in silver lanterns, shifting shadow tapestries, and protective sigils. The party passes some local shadow-touched performers using illusions, sand magic and subtle necromancy to evoke imagery of the old gods' fall in plays to tell the story. Beyond that they can see stall games, activities advertised and fun food available for sale. 

Margaret pauses to watch the performers, looking for any differences in the stories between the dark and light side as far as she knows. As far as she can see, it seems on point to the story she knows. Brin starts to look for a game to play. The Desert Wind Racing catches his eye, seeing many ride sand-skiffs in a circular area. However, quickly learns it is much more difficult then it looks as he stacks it in the sand. Thankfully he's not hurt and takes the loss in stride. 

Jay helps Ana find a variety of sweet treats that are sweet in taste. They find; Ghost-Date Pastries, Moon-Flour Flatbread, Nightwater Sorbet, Ember-Dusted Nuts, and Hollow-Sweet Orbs. Ana gets one of everything while Margaret just gets some hollow-sweet orbs are filled with mist. A cold smoke fills her mouth as she eats them. Brin catches sight of dancers moving in two counter-rotating rings, one painted white, one black. The dance involves the rings merging into a chaotic swirl by the time it is finished. 

Jay laments that the special guest has still yet to arrive, but uses this to reassure Ana that there are going to be plenty of these treats available for a while so she can pace herself. Ana learns that chocolate is rare in the shadow world. It doesn't grow here very well at all. They talk about the sand-skiffs that Brin had tried to use and the possibility of getting some for their guild. Margaret decides to try them out and shows she still has some hidden tricks up her sleeve as she wins a prize for her efforts. She is awarded a Wind-Kissed Feather, which is a once off magical item that casts feather fall before dissolving. 

Brin asks for more information about the speaker and how long this festival goes for. Jay informs them that the length of celebration is up to the speaker when she arrives, as well as to if certain celebrations happen at all or even many times like camel races. Brin is very interested as he gets some Shadow-Spiced Shawarma in a to-go-cone. As this happens, Ana notices a heartbeat beneath the street. She stops, confused and as she stops, a small pixie or sprite tries to steal her boot. Ana jumps out of the way and grabs it before it can get away. It's very unhappy with this and tries to escape. Jay explains that the people who run the festival bring in the fey to represent dark spirits, Azari's minions, with some harmless fun. If it had stopped Ana's boot, she would have been given a glowing one as a replacement. He believes they have a contract with a big seller from there. Once the festival is done all the fey will return to the fey wilds. 

Jay asks if the light doesn't have similar things of contracting outer planar beings for their festivals and is surprised to learn this is not the case. Ana explains that travelling magic like portals are heavily formed upon in the light world. To him this makes sense as some of his contractors in the light world have gotten upset when they have spied the group coming through portals. Jay reassures the party teleporting is permitted here and he's never heard of an incurison like the light world tends to suffer if someone teleports there. Brin remarks on how laid back everything is here. Jay has never seen the Cold Rider and does agree the dark world is very dangerous to the unprepared. They've had people teleport in here, expecting the light world and getting frustrated that they have stopped on the wrong side of the veil. Jay has been known to help those people find their way to the portal and there are others in town who do the same. 

Jay reveals there are other cities in the shadow world. Far to the North West is a grove that is protected. This grove has a village and a strange cult group that do experiments on the dead. These experiments are not the undead sort. More like autopsies, investigations into caught of death and the person's failings in life. They use this information to try and improve living people to prevent them suffering the same or similar fate. They have a very fey vibe, while Tephu is more celestial vibes. To the South West is another settlement of strange people. Small creatures that don't leave a body if they die. Jay has never heard of these people ever making it to the light world but Margaret confirms that these people have made it to the light since the group met some of their like while in the necropolis. Jay has never heard of the shield failing in his lifetime, so he is pretty certain that he and everyone here is safe. 

Ana asks if anything is under the city and Jay says no. Due to the difficulty in shielding the city from underground attacks, having sewers and basements is very dangerous, so they don't really tend to have those. They have a magical waste management system and the basements are just rare.

Something might come knocking at the shield that is only a layer thick under their feet but shouldn't be able to get through. Jay mentions that a week ago the guards were all very worried and concerned that something had gotten through the barrier. The Speakers will occasionally bring things in from the dark world for entertainment, but mostly for coliseum style fights or something similar. Brin comments that the speaker has the run of the town from the sounds of it. Jay confirms that this is correct. He explains how the Haty-a system works, where there are several of these governors that run the town but all have to answer to the speaker when she is in town since she out ranks them. Jay tells them about how the speaker has overturned decisions Haty-a's have made because a citizen with an audience convinced her to do so. She picks a pet or companion while she's in town that she will heavily favour like this. They either get great prizes or die a glorious death as they participate in all her events. If they survive, they gain great status in the city after the speaker has left. Some gaining titles, land or gold. It gives them a great boost to their way of life in the city. 

As the group continues to wander around, they notice a lot of people seem to know Jay. He greets them all and has a small interact but insists on catching up with them later. 

They return to the temple at lunch and learn that the Haty-a is still very busy and unable to see them as of yet. They're encouraged to return back the next day. Naturally, Margaret is curious and casts detect thoughts on the woman. She learns:

• The woman is annoyed with the speaker being late.
• The speaker being late is making the job of her Haty-a much harder and is creating a large backlog of work.
• The woman doesn't seem to think very highly of the speaker.
• If consumed with the job of constantly having to rearrange the schedule because the speaker is not here yet.

After they leave, they head back to the festival fun. Brin tries his hand at the lantern chase game. However, doesn't have much luck and his hair is turned lime green for an hour by one of the little fey creatures. While he's playing Ana goes over to talk to Margaret to tell her about the heartbeat. She's really nervous, especially hearing about the guards getting upset about something trying to get through the shield last week. Margaret reminds Ana that this incident a week ago was likely them coming through with Jamal, but also agrees that the heartbeat thing is really weird. As Brin comes over to join them, Jay is quick to offer Brin wishes for better luck in the future. He believes Brin would be better suited to something where his foe was on equal footing and statue rather than being able to fly all around him and being of a significantly smaller size. Brin gets the wrong end of the conversation, forcing Jay to speak more plainly that he is trying to ascertain if Brin likes things like fighting pits. The guards don't like it since the organisers operate below the barrier, but other than that it's not strictly illegal or anything. Brin agrees to meet up with Jay to go to this tonight to investigate. Jay extends the invite to the ladies. Ana declines but Margaret agrees to go. 

The rest of the afternoon they enjoy one another's company. Jay treats the group to a fancy dinner. He's very well-known and very well liked wherever the group goes. Brin takes the opportunity to extend an offer to Jay that he could add their guild in Shoufal as a stopping point in his caravan route. Jay is very open to the idea of doing business with the group.

After dinner Jay escorts the group back to their hostel so Margaret may commune with her little pyramid. She asks the pyramid: "What was Azrai's family like before his old world was consumed?"

She learns through her commune that it large and doing it tough, with many siblings and very mortal. 

While they're at the hostel, Jay refused to come inside. He is very offended by the hostel the group is staying in. Ana will stay here while Brin and Margaret are escorted by Jay to the fighting pits. 

The fighting pits is in a large apartment complex that is mirror below ground in the basement. It's a very large space with a very tall cage for the fights. As they observe, the organisers are taking advantage of the shadow world to manipulate the space in the cage. Changing the arena every fight. Sometimes super simple, sometimes the floor slowly falls aware as people fight, some had limited floor, moving floor, and some have layers of floor. It makes each fight very exciting and interesting for the viewers. Brin is looking around for an authority in the room. And while he does clock someone, that person is clocking Jay. If he hadn't seen that, he would have though this person was in charge, but with the respect and subtle gestures to Jay, Brin thinks that Jay might actually be someone of extreme importance here. 

They sit down to talk, being brought drinks they didn't ask or pay for, Jay explains how the pit works. It's mostly volunteers, freelances and contract fighters, but they do have people who are indentured here fighting to earn off their contract. The city has no space for a prison. Originally people were just banished from the city for crimes, but after issues in the past with this system, criminals have their crimes equated with a gold value. They serve their time until they have paid off the gold debt. People are able to buy indentured people to do that work for them. They are expected to house them and treat them well. They can still take the banishment punishment. Only those of high debts and crime are typically brought to the fighting pits. Light crimes normally end up finding clerical work of sorts to do. There are death matches, but they are two people who in the light world's justice system would have been sentenced to death. It becomes a trial of combat where they might both die or one might get a second chance at life. No one is forced to do work that is outside of their skill set. While offers can be made to train these people, they have to be willing to put it into their indentured contract. When their work day is done, they must return to where they are staying for rest and food before being released the next day to continue working. 

Maragret observes her shadow and sees that not only is it more lively, but any shadow it comes into contact with, briefly also becomes animated before going back to normal. The person whose shadow it interacted with looks unsettled but hasn't noticed specifically something happened with their shadow. Brin's shadow is still darker than normal, but somehow looks heavy and bigger than it should be. Margaret's shadow keeps avoiding Brin's. 

Margaret and Brin are interested in joining the fights. They even have wizard fights where they target crystals around the wizard instead of each other as that can be very deadly. Brin wants to go into a newbie fight. Sadly he doesn't do very well and goes off to the magical infirmary. Margaret deliberately throws her fight and loses and is sent back to infirmary as well. Jay escorts Brin back to the hostel as he is done after this. Margaret stays for a little longer to put on the act of being frustrated with her watch. Jay will stop by in the morning to see what the group is up to and has planned.

Ana enjoys a night of peace and quiet as she prays to Xeldarix. However, she does not get rewarded with a dream meeting with her goddess. 

As Margaret gets ready to leave the fitting pits Jay reappears to escort her as well, informing her about the fact there are better lodgings in the city then a hostel. 

24th of Diesmir 1545

As the party gets up for the next day, they make sure to get everyone, including Durn and Kael in a group chat before starting the day. Durn and Kael will be continuing to work in the library. They did not make much progress yesterday sadly. Brin is excited to see when this speaker shows up and Margaret believes that she might actually be the better route for getting into the library considering how little luck they are having the official way. Jamal makes the suggestion of having gifts ready should we want to ingratiate ourselves to her. Brin learns he briefly had green hair the previous day, much to everyone's amusement. They also discuss Jay and their suspicions about who Jay is. They want to stay in Jay's good books since he has a lot of sway in town from what they have seen and consider moving to the Desert Wind Inn to stay somewhere nicer and keep him happy. They plan that when Margaret checks in with the temple that Brin will go with Jay to get their new accommodation sorted. 

When Jay arrives Brin tells him the good news about the move and asks about giving the speaker gifts. He's very happy with all this. He gives advice about making sure the gift comes with a story. While there are things that would draw her attention like jewellery or chocolate, she loves a good tale. So even the most mundane gift has a chance to shine with her if there is a good story behind it. Brin pulls out an idol of a jaguar and asks about finding a nice box for it to go in. Jay agrees this with the story of the kookaburra and the temple could very well catch the speakers eye. Jay asks who would put themselves forward to be selected but the party distracts from the issue without answer, quickly leaving to go and enjoy the festival for the morning. 

Margaret ends up at the docks waiting for the speaker, considering her egg while the others wonder with Jay. At lunch she heads to the temple to see how successful they have been this day. Sadly she learns that Haty-a is still too busy to see the group. Margaret returns to her spot where she waits and meditates.

At lunch Brin and Ana go with Jay to the Desert Winds Inn and learn that a suit suddenly freed itself up and they're able to book into that for the week. Brin realises that Jay likely had a hand in making sure the rooms were free for the party. Jay shows Brin to the room and he sees it's a suite with its own common space and each of the bedrooms houses two people in it. They talk a little and Ana asks Jay about shopping for staffs and wands. In the end Brin stays in the suite with keys for others while Jay takes Ana shopping.

Ana and Jay go about town. This find the following items:

• Staff of Adder
• Rod of Tentacles
• Wand of Magic Detection
• Wand of Viscid Globs
• Wand of Smiles
• Wand of Binding
• Wand of Conducting
• Satff of Swarming Insects
• Skyblinders Staff
• Staff of Adornment

As they go around, Ana mentions Speaker Stones and her interest in finding one of her own. Jay will need some time to arrange for a sale like this, but is happy to do so. They would be able to meet tomorrow in order to make the sale. Ana also buys a Wand of Smiles. Ana asks about people who travel from Tephu to the light side. Jay confirms this happens and Ana asks about the necromancer they killed; Nebta-Khufre. Jay is disgusted that this individual has been brought up and even calls him a toad licker. It turns out that a group from the city had forced Nebta-Khufre out from the city because he was trying to bring the shield down. This was not done by the town as a whole, but by a very select group from the town that were willing to do what the nobility wasn't. Jay advices that Ana and the party not let anyone know that they killed this individual since he was a high ranking son's official and this could lead to them being arrested for murder and becoming indentured. When Ana mentions the Grandmother's head, Jay is relieved to know that Nebta-Khufre had taken that with him. There was an investigation into this, many thinking that someone was trying to frame Nebta-Khufre for this after the whole shield incident. 

Jay tells Ana if anyone does find out about the death of Nebta-Khufre and the party finds themselves at risk of becoming indenture to get a message to him. He frequents the Desert Wind Inn a lot and a message there will always find him. Afterwards the pair head back that way where Ana is left in Brin's company and Jay disappears off into the city. 

As Margaret is waiting at the docks, close to dinner time, Jay turns up and offers to show her where the inn is, as well as to collect those in the library and hostel to show them as well. 

The party meets up in their new suite where Jay offers to take them out for dinner and entertainment should they desire. They take him up on the offer, getting treated to a fine dinner before Ana, Brin and Margaret are taken to the fighting pits. They enter a completely different building this time and end up at the fighting pits. On the way Margaret gives Brin and Ana a bag of 1,000 gold each to place bets on Margaret. 

While at the fights Brin goes in for another Newbie fight. Margaret puts 20 gold on Brin to win. He does a lot better this time. Twelve fighters, including Brin, go into the arena. Brin this time, instead of being one of the first to be knocked out, he come out on top as the last one standing. Margaret wins 242 gold from her bet. 

Afterwards Margaret goes in for her own fight, not knowing the odds at 72:1, and completely dimolishes the competition with her magical bracers. Getting 144,000 gold in total for her efforts back from the other two after they collect their winnings. The group suddenly becomes very nervous about this. Jay doesn't seem upset by this in the slightest, but does warn the party against going anywhere alone given they have just collected a lot of gold from all this. 

Jay tries to convince Ana to get up and have a go, but she doesn't want to do so and he respects that. At the end of the night they head back to the inn without issue and get some rest. Brin talks in hushed tones with Margaret about her winnings the night before. Brin specifically wants to know if Durn and Kael are getting a cut of this fortune, which Margaret agrees they will since then they can hire help for their research. Brin is panicked by all the gold they have won. 

Ana had to pretend the whole way back that the bag she was carrying wasn't heavy. She takes off the mask, knowing she can't wear that around the city now that everyone from the fighting pit will recognise the mask and associate it with a big win. Margaret checks outside the suit and closes the door before putting in her new eye into the lock and reopening the door. Inside the party sees a large bedroom with a beautiful four poster bed, small living space and separate bathroom. Margaret takes the coins inside before closing it, saying she would be back soon. Brin opens the door, not done with this conversation but just finds the hallway to the Tavern they are staying in. Brin continues to panic and spiral while Margaret is gone. Before she comes back this spiralling leads to Brin having locked himself in his room and Margaret returns to find Ana still out in the common space. Margaret left 10000 platinum and a note to Azrai relating her findings on his family in her room. 

Margaret gives Ana 1000 platinum pieces. They talk about the situation and maybe using the gold to buy a set of speaking stones so everyone in the group has one before going to bed. 

25th of Diesmir 1545

The next morning the party wakes up and have a chat before Jay arrives. Ana tells them about how Jay knows about Nebta-Khufre and what happened here according to Jay, as well as warning them about how it could end poorly for the party if the wrong people found out they had killed him. They also make sure Durn and Kael will leave the inn at different times to ensure they're not associated with the group and the earnings. She gives them 500 gold each to help with their research since she has been busy keeping an eye out for the speaker and unable to help them. Ana gives Brin some advice on how to carry large quantities easily. Like gem based trade bars for example. 

When they head to the common area of the inn, Jay comes swanning in with his happy go lucky mood as always. While they're discussing him and Ana going shopping for the speaker stones, Margaret floats the idea with him of buying more and he's open to that and can help them out with this. He's able to help secure another three stones for the group. Margaret quickly returns to her room in Azari's manor to collect the coin needed and sees the note she had left is gone. While she's gone, Brin asks about gem trade bars and Jay reassures him that he can show him a few trusted sellers with this. 

Once the discussions have finished Jay takes them out into the city to get the trade bars and buy the stones. They come with a certificate that is helpful if Brin wants to make purchases in Tephu. He can use them elsewhere but would need to go through the verification process. Brin also buys the chest he was thinking about getting for the idol that cast 500 gold. They get the speaker stones and check to make sure they can be used. 

The group checks in with the temple and is relieved to hear that finally they have been granted an audience with the Haty-a.